By Lindsay Perdue
Malden City Council President Steve Winslow traveled 3,000 miles from home, only to find himself back in Maldon: that’s Malden with an “o,” the city of Malden, Massachusetts’ namesake in England.
During a European vacation last July, the longtime Malden resident and Bike to the Sea co-founder, explored the two cities’ deep historical connection. He took a six-hour ferry from the Netherlands to Harwich, England, followed by a train journey through rural, agricultural land before arriving in Maldon, England, a quaint town 35 miles northeast of London.
Malden, Massachusetts was named after Maldon, England. It is located near the coast on the banks of the River Blackwater in Essex County and is surrounded by farmland.
According to the City of Malden’s website, Malden was incorporated as a separate town on May 2, 1649. The name ‘Malden’ was chosen by Joseph Hill, an early settler and landholder who emigrated to the United States from Maldon, England.
“It’s very similar to Ipswich, Massachusetts because it’s on the coast and surrounded by agricultural areas,” Winslow said.
In Old English, Maldon means “hill” or “dune”. The town is famous for its salt flats.
“Back in Roman times, Maldon was known as a place to get sea salt,” Winslow said.
It remains a key center for sea salt production today and the Maldon Crystal Salt Company is still in business. This connection to the sea is reflected in the town’s Coat of Arms, which features symbols of its maritime trade.
Winslow met with Kevin Lagan, the president of the Maldon District in Essex, and Andrew Lay, the Mayor of Maldon. He said their warmth and hospitality made him feel right at home.
Lay wears the “Chain of Title” necklace.
“The necklace is a very formal thing you wear when you get elected Mayor or President. It has the name and time you served inscribed on it,” Winslow said.
One of the highlights of the trip was visiting All Saints with Saint Peter Church. The church was founded almost one hundred years ago but still has a recent connection to Malden.
Back in 1930, the citizens of Malden, Mass. donated a stained glass window to All Saints Church in honor of George Washington.
Winslow said, “Washington’s great-great-grandfather, Reverend Lawrence, served as the rector of Purleigh, a town near Maldon, in the 17th century.”
A historian found a souvenir brochure from the window’s unveiling and gave it to Winslow. “I brought it back to be a part of our historical collection,” Winslow said.
Winslow also visited Moot Hall on Main Street, which once served as the town’s town hall, and the Thomas Plume Library, which houses books dating back to the Gutenberg Bible.
The library was established by Thomas Plume, a wealthy book collector and the second-generation owner of a collection that had been passed down through families.
In addition to unique books, the Thomas Plume Library also contains a collection of things sent over from Malden, Mass. In 1930, the mayor of Maldon, England came to Boston’s 300th anniversary celebration, which featured a grand parade.
On the last night of his visit, Winslow went out to dinner with Maldon Mayor Lay. They both wore Hawaiian shirts. When “Spirit in the Sky” sung by Malden legend Norman Greenbaum coincidentally came on at the bar, Winslow shot a Facebook Live video introducing the Maldon officials to celebrate the historic connection.
Lindsay Perdue is a journalism student at Emerson College. Her work appears as part of a collaborative partnership between the “Community News Reporting” class taught by Mark Micheli at Emerson College and the Neighborhood View editorial staff.
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